ENGLISH ELECTROPLATE SILVER MARKS AND HALLMARKS OF SHEFFIELD AND BIRMINGHAM SILVER PLATE MAKERS

WITH THE ADDITION OF OTHER BRITISH, SCOTTISH AND IRISH MAKERS

created by Giorgio B. owner of www.silvercollection.it ©

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The two common forms of plated silver are Sheffield plate and silverplate/electroplate.
Sheffield Plate is a cheaper substitute for sterling, produced by fusing sheets of silver to the top and bottom of a sheet of copper or base metal. This 'silver sandwich' was then worked into finished pieces. At first it was only put on one side and later was on top and bottom.
Modern electroplating was invented by Italian chemist Luigi V. Brugnatelli in 1805. Brugnatelli used his colleague Alessandro Volta's invention of five years earlier, the voltaic pile, to facilitate the first electrodeposition. Unfortunately, Brugnatelli's inventions were repressed by the French Academy of Sciences and did not become used in general industry for the following thirty years.
Silver plate or electroplate is formed when a thin layer of pure or sterling silver is deposited electrolytically on the surface of a base metal. By 1839, scientists in Britain and Russia had independently devised metal deposition processes similar to Brugnatelli's for the copper electroplating of printing press plates.
Soon after, John Wright of Birmingham, England, discovered that potassium cyanide was a suitable electrolyte for gold and silver electroplating.
Wright's associates, George Elkington and Henry Elkington were awarded the first patents for electroplating in 1840. These two then founded the electroplating industry in Birmingham England from where it spread around the world.
Common base metals include copper, brass, nickel silver - an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel - and Britannia metal - a tin alloy with 5-10% antimony.
Electroplated materials are often stamped EPNS for electroplated nickel or silver, or EPBM for electroplated Britannia metal.

	TAUNTON & JOHNSON Birmingham
	WILLIAM TAY & SONS WILLIAM TAY & SONS LTD Birmingham Active at 30/34 Leopold Street, Birmingham. London Offices: 24 Garlick Hill, EC. Listed Exhibitor at the 1922 British Industries Fair as Manufacturers of Electro-plated and Nickel Silver Spoons and Forks, Cased Goods, Presentation Canteens, Home and Export. The firm used the trade mark MEDALLION
	F.B. THOMAS & CO London A retail and manufacturing silversmith business established in 1759 by John William Thomas. Became F.B. Thomas & Co in 1871 when Francis Boone Thomas took the control of the firm. The business was closed in 1943 c.
	ALBERT HENRY THOMPSON Sheffield Active at 10-16 Regent St, Sheffield (1886-1911)
	E.L. THOMPSON & CO Sheffield Edward Landers Thompson active at 22 Mary St. (1883-1886), Central works, 98 West St. (1887-1909) 12 Wostenholm Rd. 1(1910-1914)
	WALTER THORNHILL London The firm established in 1734 by Joseph Gibbs changed its style in early 19th century to Morley & Thornhill. The firm changed to Thornhill & Co (1820), Walter Thornhill (1850), Walter Thornhill & Co (1875) Walter Thornhill & Co Ltd (1895) and Walter Thornhill & Co (1905).
	FREDERICK ELLIS TIMM & CO Sheffield 11 Hawley Croft (1850-1863), 10 Regent St. (1864-1886), 9 Eyre Lane (1887-1896), Surrey Lane (1897-1910), 137-139 Arundel St (1910-1918). Originally he traded solely out of Belfield St. (c 1858-1860) specialising in handles and cups
	JAMES WALTER TIPTAFT Birmingham Founded in 1882 by James Walter Tiptaft who went in partnership with his son Norman in 1909. The firm was sold to Blanckensee in the late 1930s.
	A.F & J. TOFIELD Sheffield/i> Alfred Francis Tofield active at 113 Eldon St., 1884-1886. From 1887 to 1900 teamed up with James Tofield as A F & J Tofield
	GEORGE TRAVIS & CO Sheffield Formerly Russel & Travis. George Travis & Co active at Clarence Works 69 Charles St. Sheffield (1864-1867) and at 13 Bath St. (1867-1908). Later converted into Travis Wilson & Co Ltd (1908-1967)
	TRAVIS WILSON & CO LTD Sheffield Succeded to George Wilson & Co. Active at Clarence Works, Bath Street, Sheffield (1908-1967)
	THOMAS TURNER & CO T. TURNER & CO LTD Sheffield Active in electroplating from 1883 at Suffolk Works, 1 Suffolk Rd, Sheffield (1867-1940). The firm changed to T. Turner & Co Ltd in 1918. In 1919 it became part of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers Ltd, an amalgamation led by Needham, Veall & Tyzack. In 1932 the firm fell in bankrupt and the business was bought by Viners. The firm used the trade marks ENCORE and PEDIGREE SILVER
	JOHN TURTON JOHN TURTON & CO JOHN TURTON & CO LTD Sheffield John Turton, active 1876-1898 at 23-24 Times Building Bow St. Sheffield. Became John Turton & Co and was converted into a limited liability company in 1910. Active at Kendal Works 57 Arundel St. Sheffield (1898-1916)
	JOHN TYLER Sheffield Active at New Brunswick St (1836-1869), starting electroplating in 1861. The business was took over by his son William Tyler in 1870 (until 1900). In 1901 the firm became William Tyler & Sons (until 1929)
	GEORGE UNITE Birmingham Business established in 1825 in Birmingham by George Unite. The firm was listed as George Unite & Sons (1865-1928) and as George Unite Sons & Lyde Ltd from 1928
	UNWIN & RODGERS UNWIN & RODGERS LTD Sheffield active from 1851 at Rockingam Works and Globe Works, Penistone Road, Sheffield. In 1879 became a Ltd. The firm used a brand NON XLL

E.P.N.S. (Electroplated Nickel Silver) and EPBM (Electroplated Britannia Metal) are the most common names attributed to silver plate items. But many other names are used for silver plate:
EPWM - Electroplate on White Metal, EPC - Electroplate on Copper, Argentium, Argentine Plate, Argentum, Ascetic, Austrian Silver, Brazilian Silver, Buxbridge, Electrum, Encore, Exquisite, Insignia Plate, Nevada Silver, Norwegian Silver, Pelican Silver, Potosi Silver, Silverite, Sonora Silver, Spur Silver, Stainless Nickel, Stainless Nickel Silver, Venetian Silver, W.M White Metal,....